


capsize

by tigermochaeyu



Category: LOONA (Korea Band), TWICE (Band)
Genre: Demigods, F/F, Fluff, crack ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 14:37:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19378720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigermochaeyu/pseuds/tigermochaeyu
Summary: the beach has always been a place of conflicting emotions for chaeyoung





	capsize

**Author's Note:**

> listen this has been in my drafts forever and i finally finished it and it's an absolute crack ship but it's a good story i promise uwu

The beach has always been a place of conflicting emotions for Chaeyoung. On one hand, her heart and body and soul all yearn for open waters away from the bustling city of Seoul, but on the other hand there’s a nagging sense of fear and trepidation any time she nears it.

 

Of course now she’s at the beach alone, thanks to her best friend ditching her at the last minute, trying to maneuver her way through a busy tiki bar to get some water. Chaeyoung feels her anxiety increase the longer she’s in the bar. The smell of cheap beer, the sounds and sights of overly excited college students on their first day of break, it’s almost too much for her.

 

Someone bumps into Chaeyoung accidentally, throwing a seemingly sincere apology over their shoulder as they keep moving. The ocean waves come in a little more aggressively, everyone too drunk or excited to surf along the watery sunset to notice the change. Chaeyoung takes a deep breath, lets herself be grounded to what’s around her, and keeps pushing towards the bar.

 

She makes it to a corner relatively unscathed, watching as the bartender happily makes drinks for all the college kids. His tips are probably going to be through the roof, Chaeyoung thinks to herself, and let’s her eyes wander the bar. There’s a large guy and a smaller girl having a shot contest, the girl easily beating him in a landslide. Further down is a guy nearly asleep in his plate of nachos, his friends laughing at him and taking photos, no doubt for blackmail.

 

And at the far corner is the probably the prettiest girl Chaeyoung has seen since she’s gotten here.

 

Brown hair falls down just past her shoulders, parted thankfully on the other side of her face so Chaeyoung can see her sharp features. Her friends beside her, a blonde and an auburn haired girl, occasionally pull her into conversation, and her smile is soft and blinding all at the same time. But when their attention isn’t on her, she stirs her drink with her straw mindlessly, eyes trained on nothing in particular.

 

She looks bored, like she would rather be anywhere but there. Chaeyoung can relate.

 

She eyes the empty seat next to the pretty girl, and for about five minutes she tries to hype herself up. To get up and walk over there and maybe try to talk to the pretty girl. It works, surprisingly, and she finds her feet carrying her through the crowd once more until she’s in the seat beside the pretty girl.

 

She keeps her eyes trained on the wall of drinks in front of her, because it seems she only had enough courage to walk over and sit down. She can see the pretty girl eyeing her out of the corner of her eye, and just her eyes on her is enough to make Chaeyoung blush, coughing slightly as if it would help her nerves. She plays with the frames of her glasses nervously, words on the top of her tongue but not being voiced any time soon.

 

The pretty girl grins slightly at how flustered she looks. It only serves to make her more fidgety.

 

A song with bright synths plays through the open bar and out towards the beach, but Chaeyoung is so stuck in her own head she can barely hear it. She notices the pretty girl grab for her drink, sipping it slowly, and Chaeyoung knows she needs to try and say  _ something _ so this girl doesn’t think she’s a coward. Hesitantly, she opens her mouth, closing it almost immediately after, trying to think of what the right thing to say would be before just inadvertently blurting out some words.

 

“Not your kind of scene?” Are her first words to the pretty girl, and she kind of wants to slap herself upside the head for saying something so  _ stupid _ to the girl, can hear the waves start to come in more frequently-

 

“Not really, to be honest,” Pretty girl’s voice is lower than Chaeyoung expected, heavier yet warm all at the same time, and the waves calm again. The surprise that she answered is blatantly written on Chaeyoung’s face as she turns to look at the pretty girl for the first time since she sat down and  _ wow _ it’s unfair how she’s somehow prettier up close. Pretty girl grins at her surprise, then gestures to the two girls talking adamantly behind her, “But it’s theirs, so I was dragged along.”

 

Chaeyoung’s mouth hangs open slightly as she nods, licking her lips nervously as she tries to think of what to say next. Despite her nerves, pretty girl waits patiently with a kind smile, somehow both calming Chaeyoung’s anxiety and spiking it at the same time. She looks down to her lap, twirling her fingers nervously as she hesitantly asks, “Do you wanna maybe uh, go to the beach?” As soon as the words leave her mouth she feels self conscious, hastily adding, “I mean you don’t have to, you’d probably wanna stay here and-”

 

“Yeah sure,” Pretty girl’s smile is wider this time, eyes crinkling with joy as she slips off the barstool. Her friend, the taller blonde, gives her a quizzical look, but pretty girl shakes her head with a smile. “Just gonna go for a walk with my new friend, I’ll be back later.” Chaeyoung feels her heart leap at being called pretty girl’s friends, can hear the gentle waves crawl further onto the shore. The blonde gives her a lopsided grin while the auburn haired girl gives her a blinding smile, waving as she and pretty girl push through the crowded bar towards the sparsely populated beach.

 

There are a few moments where nothing happens, just the two girls walking side by side towards the shoreline. Pretty girl bends down to pick her flip flops off of her feet, opting to let the sand run freely through her toes as she walks, and Chaeyoung almost does the same, but she’s too nervous beside pretty girl and needs her hands for her anxious habits. Pretty girl notices, somehow, and spends a few moments biting her bottom lip in thought before opening her mouth.

 

“Did you know that the Pacific Ocean is actually wider than the moon?” Pretty girl asks, and the statement takes Chaeyoung aback slightly. Her steps falter, because there’s no way someone as pretty as her would just randomly know such a fact about the ocean, unless they were very interested in the topic. Judging by the blush lightly dusting pretty girl’s cheeks, Chaeyoung can guess it’s the latter.

 

“Is it?” Chaeyoung asks, a smile creeping onto her face. Not because she didn’t know; she was taught everything there is to know about the oceans and their depths when she was very young. But because pretty girl looks really happy about someone being interested in her random facts. Especially when she nods as though trying to hold back her excitement.

 

“Yeah,” she smiles bashfully, tucking a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear. Chaeyoung’s heart beats a little harder, and pretty girl either doesn’t notice or ignores the water hitting her feet when they’re a good distance from where the water is  _ supposed _ to be reaching on the sand. “It’s like, 12,300 miles across, so it’s more than five times the diameter of the moon.”

 

“Tell me more,” Chaeyoung smiles, her heart relaxing but her stomach filling with butterflies as pretty girl’s smile grows wider. She tells Chaeyoung as many facts about the ocean that she can think of, a few that she’ll admit she’s actually never heard before. The sky has gone from pinks and golds to dark blues and purples as they’ve walked down the shoreline, Chaeyoung feeling more and more comfortable as time passes.

 

“You know, I just realized,” Pretty girl speaks, laughter still sparkling in her voice from something stupid that Chaeyoung had said. Chaeyoung hums once, letting her know she’s listening, turning to see the glint of joy in her eyes. “You’re the first person that’s ever let me ramble about all of my ocean facts and I don’t even know your name.”

 

It’s not until then that Chaeyoung realizes she’s been referring to the girl beside her as ‘pretty girl’ since the moment she had laid eyes on her. Blushing furiously at the realization, she plays with her fingers before pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose nervously. “It’s uh- I’m Chaeyoung. Nice to meet you.” She gives a little nervous wave after introducing herself, making pretty girl smile with a small giggle.

 

“Nice to meet you, Chaeyoung. I’m Jungeun,” She gives Chaeyoung a little wave back, and the water creeps up the beach towards their feet once again as the blonde’s heart pounds in her chest. This time, Jungeun does notice the water, looking towards the shore with her eyebrows furrowed, admittedly one of the most adorable things Chaeyoung has ever seen. “The waves are really choppy for such a windless night.”

 

“Haha, yeah they really are,” Chaeyoung laughs nervously, rubbing the back of her neck in a nonchalant manner. Jungeun shrugs before turning back to Chaeyoung, smiling as she points her thumb back towards the direction they came from. “Wanna head back now? I can tell you more random facts along the way?”

 

Thankful for the respite her heart will receive once out of Jungeun’s presence when they return to the bar, she nods with a smile. Granted, she knows she’ll be sad once she’s out of sight, but right now she doesn’t think her heart can take any more of her beautiful smiles. Yet when Jungeun flashes her another warm grin, she doesn’t think her heart will have the opportunity to calm down for a long while.

 

-

 

Jungeun makes her way to the beach house she and her friends are staying at with a skip in her step, a smile on her face, and a new phone number in her contacts list. The smile doesn’t last long, however, because the smug faces of Jinsoul and Jiwoo are the first things that greet her when she walks inside. Her face hardens immediately, eyes rolling as she turns right towards the kitchen to ignore them.

 

“Jungie~,” Jiwoo whines, running up behind her and latching her arms around Jungeun’s waist as the brunette makes a small snack. She ignores the shorter girl behind her, can practically hear her pouting despite the lack of sound, and moves through the kitchen with Jiwoo nearly hanging off of her back like a koala with ease.

 

“You know she’s not gonna let go until you tell her what happened,” Jinsoul calls from the living room. Jungeun can hear her clicking through the channels on the TV aimlessly; a brief few seconds of noise before nothingness, then another few seconds of sound. Jungeun knows she’s right, Jiwoo has a way of getting what she wants. But that doesn’t mean she’s gonna give in that easily.

 

“If you’re gonna latch onto me, at least wait until I’m on the couch so I can ignore you comfortably,” she grumbles, and doesn’t expect the happy way Jiwoo agrees with her statement before bounding off towards Jinsoul, flopping into her lap and giggling when her girlfriend plants a sloppy kiss on her cheek. ‘Disgusting,’ Jungeun thinks, an amused smile on her face betraying her thoughts, walking towards them with her cup of ramen.

 

Her phone buzzes in her back pocket and she grabs it without hesitation, smile subconsciously blooming on her lips as she reads the contact name. She barely registers her own movements as she sits down on the couch beside Jinsoul and Jiwoo, focused only on the words on her screen.

 

**ocean eyes: is it bad that i wanna be back on the beach with you again right now**

 

Jungeun’s smile only grows at the words, heart beating just a little bit harder against her ribcage as she sets her cup ramen on the table. Her thumbs move on their own accord, can barely restrain her own eagerness to text Chaeyoung back.

 

**baby shark: not at all, i’d much rather be on the beach with you than being bombarded with questions by these crazy people i call my friends**

 

“First of all it is  _ rude _ to talk about your friends behind their back!” Jiwoo exclaims suddenly, causing Jungeun to jump and hold her phone screen against her chest so that the bubbly girl can’t see. She shoots her a glare, one Jiwoo pointedly ignores as she continues, “Second of all, ‘ocean eyes’ is the cheesiest nickname ever I’ve ever seen and I  _ love _ it!”

 

“What’s  _ rude _ is reading your friend’s text messages over their shoulder,” Jungeun says pointedly, her angry facade nearly breaking into a laugh at the faux innocent look that Jiwoo gives her, head bobbing around as she mutters, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jungeun has half a mind to smack her with the pillow beneath her arm, but the buzz of her phone pulls her from her violent thoughts.

 

**ocean eyes: i think i would even take that over being alone in this hotel room**

 

**baby shark: you’re alone?**

 

**ocean eyes: my friend dahyun was supposed to come here with me but**

 

**ocean eyes: she had to bail for an exam so**

 

“Invite her over,” Jiwoo prods at Jungeun’s side as her voice carries softly through the room, somehow quieter than the noise from the television but loud enough for the brunette to hear. Jungeun’s eyes widen as she whips her head to meet Jiwoo’s eyes, expecting to see a teasing expression on her face. But the girl is serious, a gentle grin on her lips.

 

“I’m not inviting her over,” Jungeun states sternly. “You guys will just tease me and make her feel uncomfortable.”

 

“She couldn’t be any more uncomfortable than she is alone in that hotel room,” Jinsoul shrugs, eyes never leaving the television. Jungeun gapes at her, wondering how the hell the blonde girl could have seen her texts over both her and Jiwoo’s shoulders. Jinsoul must know what she’s thinking, raising an eyebrow in disinterest. “What? I have a long neck.”

 

“My diplodocus girl,” Jiwoo beams at Jinsoul, and Jungeun cannot believe she just heard that phrase leave her best friend’s mouth. Before she can even question the sanity of her friends, Jiwoo’s attention is back on her, face more serious than Jungeun has seen it since she asked Jungeun to help her ask out Jinsoul. “Invite her. Tell her we’ll have a sleepover with terrible romcoms and lots of snacks.”

 

Jungeun debates arguing, saying that she really doesn’t want the pretty girl who makes her feel all jittery inside staying with them because she will have a homosexual meltdown all night in her presence. But if Jiwoo is set on something, Jinsoul’s whipped ass will back her until the end of time. So she sighs, picking up her phone and letting her thumbs tap hesitantly against the screen.

 

**baby shark: you could come over if you want?**

 

**baby shark: and by that i mean jiwoo read our texts over my shoulder and is insisting you come over for a sleepover**

 

**ocean eyes: oh no i couldn’t possibly impose**

 

**baby shark: chaeyoung**

 

**baby shark: it’s okay** **  
**  


**baby shark: we’re gonna watch shitty romcoms and eat food and have a good time**

 

**ocean eyes: …**

 

**ocean eyes: you’re sure?**

 

**baby shark: positive :) i’ll send you the address now** **  
**  


**ocean eyes: okay**

 

**ocean eyes: thank you guys, it means a lot** **  
**  


“Told you~,” Jiwoo singsong’s into Jungeun’s ear. Jungeun doesn’t hesitate to smack her with the pillow this time.

 

-

 

Chaeyoung arrives with a nervous knock on the front door.

 

Jungeun wanted to be the one to greet her because, well, she wanted Chaeyoung to arrive to a familiar face. Not because she wanted to see her before her friends and admire her for a brief moment before her friends could tease her. But just her luck, Jungeun watches Jinsoul get to the door first from around the corner, opening it with a wide smile to see a very nervous girl with a small drawstring bag on her back and a pillow clamped tightly against her chest.

 

“You must be Chaeyoung,” Jinsoul greets, significantly more calm and warm than Jungeun expected from the oldest of her friends. She isn’t sure why until she sees Chaeyoung relax, hearing the waves from the ocean behind her slosh loudly against the shore. She is only slightly relaxed but more relaxed nonetheless, smiling at Jinsoul awkwardly with a nod. The taller blonde smiles wider, stepping to the side and gesturing into the house. “Come on in, I can get you something to drink while Jiwoo and Jungie finish bringing the mattresses in the living room.”

 

It’s almost heartwarming, the way Jinsoul handles Chaeyoung with a level of care she doesn’t with their other friends, the way she makes sure to keep Chaeyoung at ease. Maybe it’s because Jungeun might have a fat crush on Chaeyoung, maybe it’s because she really likes the shorter blonde’s company, but she appreciates Jinsoul’s energy in this moment more than anything.

 

“Oh my god you’re Chaeyoung!”

 

And then Jiwoo ruins it.

 

Well, not really, she’s just significantly more excitable than anyone else in the room. Her high pitched squeal garners Chaeyoung’s attention very abruptly, the girl jumping slightly and almost spilling the water in her hand slightly. Jiwoo approaches rapidly, but stops a few feet away from the shorter girl and sticks her hand out. Chaeyoung nervously looks between the girl and her hand before extending her own, allowing Jiwoo to control the pace of their handshake.

 

“Sorry, Jiwoo can be a bit much sometimes,” Jungeun says as she finally makes her presence known. Maybe her heart skips a beat when she sees how much more relaxed Chaeyoung is just from her being there, maybe it makes her feel like someone important. No one will ever know though, except the gentle roll of the evening tides, so it’s only maybes. “She means well most of the time, though.”

 

“Hey I mean well all the time!” Jiwoo pouts, earning a raised eyebrow from Jungeun and a laugh from Jinsoul. The taller blonde pulls Jiwoo towards her by the hand, wrapping her in her arms and kissing the top of her head. “We know you do baby, we just like to tease you.”

 

“Oh my god they’re doing it again,” Jungeun says as she pretends to gag, eliciting a giggle from Chaeyoung that may or may not make her stomach lurch with a thousand butterflies. “Come on Chaeng, I’ll show you around while they’re being gross.”

 

She doesn’t notice the nickname slip past her lips, nor does she notice the flare of Chaeyoung’s cheeks as she nods in agreement, following Jungeun almost dumbly out of the kitchen.

 

“I am  _ so _ sorry about them,” Jungeun speaks quietly as they reach the living room, expressing her sympathy clearly on her face. She wouldn’t wish being alone in a room with Jinsoul and Jiwoo on anyone; the two of them are just too much to handle at once, especially when together. “I had planned on greeting you but that useless fish beat me to it.”

 

“Did you just call her a fish?” Chaeyoung asks with a hint of incredulity in her voice, Jungeun turning to notice the amused smile on the shorter blonde’s lips. Jungeun rolls her eyes with a fond smile at the nickname for her best friend.

 

“Yeah, she’s always loved fish ever since I’ve known her. It’s one of the reasons we became friends,” her smile grows as she remembers a seven year old Jinsoul bounding over to her during class while she was staring at the fish tank. Jinsoul had claimed she was a human fish because she could swim ‘ _ super _ well’, and Jungeun told her she would have to be a blue betta because she’s so pretty. They were thick as thieves ever since.

 

“I told my best friend she looks like a block of squishy tofu when I met her, so your story is a lot more heartfelt than mine,” Chaeyoung jokes, catching Jungeun off guard and causing her to laugh just a bit louder than she normally would. Chaeyoung’s smile grows wider at the sound of her laughter, though, so she reasons it can’t be that bad.

 

“What are y’all laughing at?” Jiwoo calls out from the kitchen as she and Jinsoul walk into the living room, plopping onto the mattresses covering the floor. Jungeun groans half-heartedly at their intrusion, causing Jiwoo to pout at her while Jinsoul kneels by the small entertainment center. “Can’t a girl get a yeehaw around here?”

 

“They always say yeehaw, but they never ask hawyee,” Jungeun is surprised to hear the words come from Chaeyoung and not Jinsoul, the taller blonde turning around with pleasant surprise shimmering in her eyes.

 

“I like her already,” she responds with a smile. Jungeun questions her taste in women and friends simultaneously in that moment. Jinsoul stands holding three movies, spreading them out so that they all can see the older rom-coms in her hands. “What’ll it be, Chaeyoung? Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Garner, or Drew Barrymore?”

 

“‘Never Been Kissed’ is an underrated masterpiece but I gotta go with my heart,” Chaeyoung shrugs as she points to ‘Miss Congeniality’ in Jinsoul’s right hand. Jinsoul’s grin grows even wider, eyes meeting Jungeun’s in an almost mischievous manner.

 

“You really know how to pick ‘em, huh Jungeun?” She teases, shrieking when the pillow nearest Jungeun is thrown in her direction. Jiwoo shouts excitedly, grabbing another pillow and yelling ‘yeet’ as she throws it towards Jungeun. It becomes chaos between the three best friends, but Jungeun is more focused on how quick Chaeyoung is to join in.

 

She may hate her best friends, but she’ll admit they can be amazing sometimes.

 

-

 

Chaeyoung finds a moment in the morning to sneak outside towards the beach.

 

The opportunity arises between Jungeun making breakfast and Jiwoo succeeding in choking out her girlfriend for the last of the first plate of pancakes. She shakes her head at their antics with a smile, feels the pull of the tides in her chest as she grabs her phone and sneaks out the front door. She has no intentions of going far, just enough to get a moment to herself.

 

The warm sand makes its home between her toes as she walks, the golden glow of the morning sun glimmering against the waves and warming her insides in a way she hasn’t felt in a long while. A flock of seagulls caw wildly as they fly over the beach, picking at the sand in an attempt to find a lucky scrap of food from a careless college student’s poor decisions from the night before.

 

It’s perfect to Chaeyoung, almost enough for her to forget why she’s been so nervous about the open water.

 

Instead of dwelling on the negative thoughts, she pulls her phone from her pocket, dialling a number she’s had memorized since she was 14 and had her first phone. The dial tone rings once, twice, before a click comes from the other end, a few profanities and ‘ _ give me the damn phone or I swear to god, Nayeon _ ’ before a huff is heard and then-

 

“ _ So, how is my best friend in the whole world? _ ”

 

“If I find out you didn’t have any exams this week and ditched me to play tonsil tennis with  _ the _ Im Nayeon, I’ll drown you,” Chaeyoung threatens, lightheartedly but no less meaningful. Dahyun laughs loudly, enough to bring a smile to Chaeyoung’s face. She misses her best friend, whether it’s been a day or a hundred days.

 

“ _ I  _ do _ have an exam, Chaengie- _ ”

 

“An oral one, perhaps?”

 

“ _ A  _ music theory _ exam, you asshole _ ,” Chaeyoung can feel Dahyun rolling her eyes through the phone before a light chuckle passes through her lips. “ _ The  _ oral _ exam was just a reward for a job well done- _ ”

 

“Too much! Don’t care!” Chaeyoung shouts over her best friend, hearing Dahyun’s laughter like sparkles in her brain as it flutters through the phone. Chaeyoung can’t help but laugh too, shaking her head at Dahyun’s brashness and pacing across the beach. “Besides, we have more important things to discuss.”

 

“ _ Well I can tell you actually managed to leave the hotel since I can hear the waves quite clearly, so that’s a good sign! _ ” Dahyun’s voice is filled with actual pride, knowing how difficult it is for Chaeyoung to get over her initial shyness to do much. Chaeyoung has always been lucky to have a friend like her to watch over and help her, even if she is disgusting. “ _ Did you manage to... you know? _ ”

 

“No I haven’t tried that yet,” Chaeyoung shakes her head despite knowing Dahyun can’t see her, the ocean creating a calming aura around her with its sounds and smells. “But I uh.. I did do something?”

 

“ _ And what would that be? _ ”

 

“I may have met a girl..?”

 

She counts the seconds as she pulls the phone away from her ear, exactly five passing, before Dahyun’s shrieking rings through her ear and no doubt partially deafens her despite her precautionary measures. She winces at the volume before stifling a giggle, hearing Dahyun shout to Nayeon ‘my best friend is finally not an anti-social hermit!’ and scolding her despite knowing Dahyun can’t hear her over her own yelling.

 

“ _ Okay I’m good, I’m fine, we’re fine _ ,” Dahyun’s voice comes back clearly through the receiver, breathing a little labored from her excited celebration. Chaeyoung just grins, shaking her head at her best friend’s antics and waiting for the other girl to continue. “ _ So, who is she what’s her name what’s her social security number? _ ”

 

“Why would I tell you her social security number if I even knew it, you weirdo?” Chaeyoung laughs breathily, hearing Dahyun giggle on the other end of the phone and telling Chaeyoung she’s ignoring the important questions. “But.. her name is Jungeun. I met her at the tiki bar on the beach, and I’m almost positive Auntie A possessed me because I’ve never approached a pretty girl at a bar before, or approached a pretty girl in general honestly-”

 

“ _ Chaeyoung you’re rambling _ ,” Dahyun giggles again.

 

“Right, sorry,” Chaeyoung laughs nervously. “Anyways I managed to talk to her and god, Dahyun she’s  _ so  _ cute. She loves the ocean and knows so many random facts about it.”

 

“ _ Sounds like fate _ ,” Chaeyoung can almost feel Dahyun smirking on the other end, no doubt raising her eyebrows in that weird insinuating way she always does. Chaeyoung would shove her if she could. “ _ Did you get her number? _ ”

 

“I did but.. I may have stayed the night at her beach house with her and her best friends?” Chaeyoung says it like it’s a question because even now she still doesn’t believe it actually happened. She can hear Dahyun about to scream again and quickly interjects, “No you perv, we didn’t sleep together like that. I accidentally slipped that being alone in the hotel room was uncomfortable for me and her friends invited me over for terrible romcoms and it was.. it was really fun.”

 

“ _ I’m proud of you Chaeng _ ,” Dahyun’s warm tone is like a wave of calm washing over Chaeyoung, like the water creeping up the sand and washing over Chaeyoung toes. It makes Chaeyoung’s heart feel ten times lighter, because no matter how much Dahyun teases her she’s always going to be there by her side.

 

“Thanks, Dubu,” Chaeyoung’s smile is evident in her tone, giggling slightly after a moment. “Alright, I’ll let you go back to your  _ strenuous _ studying. Say hi to Nayeon for me.”

 

“ _ Only if you say hi to  _ Jungeun _ for me _ ,” Dahyun teases, Chaeyoung rolling her eyes at her best friend.

 

“Bye, Dubu.”

 

“ _ I expect an update at the end of the day! Bye Chaeng! _ ”

 

Chaeyoung shakes her head as she ends the call, eyes falling shut and smile hurting her cheeks while the sun continues to wash over her with its golden warmth. The quiet moment doesn’t last long before Chaeyoung hears footsteps in the sand behind her. She opens her eyes and turns to look over her shoulder, smile becoming more shy as she realizes it’s Jungeun approaching her.

 

“Everything good?” Jungeun asks softly.

 

“Yeah,” Chaeyoung flashes her a smile that makes Jungeun’s heart skip a beat. “I was just calling Dahyun.”

 

“The squishy block of tofu?”

 

“The one and only,” Chaeyoung giggles heartily. Jungeun feels her chest warm at the sound, can’t help but smile right back at her. “Just wanted to check in with her. Found out she’s sleeping with someone, lost some hearing in my right ear, the usual conversation.”

 

“She sounds like Jinsoul,” Jungeun chuckles, crossing her arms over her chest and digging her feet into the sand beneath her. A realization hits her as soon as she says it. “Oh god we can never let them meet or they’ll just clown us for eternity.”

 

“I would never let you meet Dahyun anyways, she would just embarrass me ‘til I die,” Chaeyoung shudders at the thought. Perhaps Jungeun thinks it’s adorable.

 

“As if Jinsoul and Jiwoo didn’t do the same thing to me all night,” Jungeun scoffs playfully.

 

“ _ Listen _ , finding out you had one of those mermaid tails when you were a kid is adorable,” Chaeyoung points out with a cheeky grin. Jungeun’s cheeks flush a deep red, groaning as she hides her head in her hands. “You’ve always loved the ocean haven’t you?”

 

Jungeun’s hands fall from her face but the blush remains, digging her feet further into the sand to distract herself from how sheepish she feels. “When I was maybe four or five years old, my dad gave me a book about animals for my birthday. Of all the animals in the book, I just so happened to think the fish were  _ super _ cool. So my dad got me books about the oceans, would take me to the beach and let me teach him things I would learn.”

 

“Sounds amazing,” Chaeyoung smiles warmly, but Jungeun can hear a tint of wistfulness in her voice. Wants to ask about it but Chaeyoung beats her too it. “Have you always been close with your dad?”

 

“He’s supported me in everything I’ve ever wanted, so I would like to say so,” Jungeun nods slightly. “When I wanted to learn about the ocean, he helped me. When I told him I wanted to start dancing in high school, he bought me an exercise bag and some of those fancy water bottles that keep your water cold for hours.” Chaeyoung laughs at that, making Jungeun smile just a bit more. “What about you?”

 

Chaeyoung’s laugh dies down, her smile still there on her lips but a bit more forced than it had been before. The waves reach their ankles as the press up the shore now. “Ah, my dad and I aren’t that close. My mom has always been my supporter. Always helping me channel my creativity in whatever form fit me that day. I happened to stick with art and poetry, but I always thought it would be fun to make music. But yeah, my dad and I don’t get to see each other very often.”

 

Jungeun frowns. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” Chaeyoung smiles at her, thankfully genuine this time. “Plus it’s my fault I don’t get to see my dad very often.” The waves seem to calm despite her words, the girl sighing as she looks out over the water. “I’m working on changing that, however long it might take me.”

 

Jungeun feels a tug in her chest, wants nothing more than to reach out and hold the blonde girl against her chest. She doesn’t give in to that tug, not entirely at least, and instead reaches out and slides her fingers between Chaeyoung’s own. Her heart hammers in her chest when she watches Chaeyoung look down at their hands with wide eyes, those same eyes meeting her own with surprise written all over her face.

 

Jungeun feels the same surprise at her own actions in her head, but ignores it for the sake of comforting the shorter girl.

 

“I know I barely know you, but I’m proud of you,” Jungeun smiles gently at the younger girl, watches the way her eyes sparkle at the small praise before a heavy blush fills the skin of her cheeks. She watches Chaeyoung use her unoccupied hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, her own smile shy as she thanks Jungeun for her words.

 

The waves are calm, and Chaeyoung doesn’t let go of Jungeun’s hand, so she tucks this moment away as a successful one.

 

“So,” Jungeun starts, an excited smile on her face, “wanna go swimming?”

 

-

 

Chaeyoung will never admit it, but she hates swimming.

 

There’s a hilarious irony in the whole thing, but she absolutely hates it. Has always been afraid of what will happen when she enters the water. Not necessarily drowning but an abundance of imaginative possibilities.

 

But she knows she can’t say no to Jungeun.

 

“Pleeeeeease?”

 

_ Especially _ when she’s pouting.

 

“I’m..” Chaeyoung trails off, tries to scramble for a reason that she can’t get into the water. An allergy, foot cramp, anything. But she comes up with nothing that seems reasonable, and instead blurts out, “I’m not exactly the best swimmer, so I’m a bit scared.”

 

Jungeun’s pout washes away at her words, a look of both concern and warmth making Chaeyoung blush even harder than before. “I can teach you?” Jungeun offers, making the short blonde’s eyes widen in shock and embarrassment. Jungeun flashes her a gentle smile as she offers her hand to her. “I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”

 

‘But I can’t promise I won’t let anything happen to  _ you _ ,’ Chaeyoung thinks to herself, nervously gnawing on her lip as she contemplates her options. Jungeun doesn’t push though, stays put with that same smile on her lips and a tremendous amount of patience. In the end, Chaeyoung knows she’s going to give in, and she knows Dahyun is going to call her whipped for the rest of her life for this.

 

“Can we at least stay in the shallow end..?” Chaeyoung asks hesitantly, a relieved sigh passing through her lips when Jungeun nods enthusiastically. She manages to grab Jungeun’s hand despite how nervous she is (though not because of the swimming)  and they make their way into the water.

 

Fearful thoughts fill Chaeyoung’s head the moment she’s lead into water up to her ankles. Each step further into the ocean fills her with the anxiety she hides deep in her chest. Memories of her last ocean visit flash through her mind, waves crashing against her legs as she remembers a child being whisked away by a huge wave, the waves only getting worse as she panicked. The lifeguards, the family, all trying to save this kid, but they couldn’t reach her. She was too far, it was her fault, it was-

 

She doesn’t realize how desperately she’s gasping for air until Jungeun’s voice carries through her ears, vaguely recognizing that the brunette is stood in front of her. “Chaeyoung focus on my voice, okay? Can you focus on my voice and breathe with me?” Chaeyoung tries to swallow, nods because she can’t find the air to speak. “Good okay, deep breath for me.”

 

It goes like this for a few minutes, Jungeun’s hands on her shoulder grounding her and her voice pulling her back from a nightmarish memory. “Good, you’re doing amazing,” Jungeun says softly as Chaeyoung slowly but surely calms down from what could have been a horrible anxiety attack. She finally feels okay enough to breathe on her own, nodding slowly as she mutters, “Sorry..”

 

“No don’t apologize, I wouldn’t have made you come out here if I knew it would affect you so much,” Jungeun has a guilt stricken look written across her face, and Chaeyoung doesn’t want her to feel bad because of something that isn’t her fault.

 

“It wasn’t you, just a bad memory,” Chaeyoung explains. Jungeun asks her if she wants to talk about it, and if it had been anyone else she would have said no. But Jungeun has been nothing but nice, and she feels nothing but safe with the brunette, so she decides that maybe it’s time to talk about it.

 

“When I was a kid, I went out to the beach with some of my friends. We were all running into the shallow water when suddenly a giant wave came from the ocean and crashed onto one of my friends,” Chaeyoung explains quietly, leaving out the part where she accidentally created it in her hesitance. “It sucked her into the depths but she couldn’t swim, and the waves just kept getting worse and worse and no one could reach her and-”

 

“Hey hey, it’s okay,” Jungeun cuts off her rambling to keep her calm, prompting Chaeyoung to take another deep breath as she feels the waves wash against her calves. “Did she..?”

 

“No,” Chaeyoung shakes her head adamantly. “My dad actually saved her. But I can’t help but feel like it was my fault she was sucked into the water.”

 

Jungeun gives her a reassuring look, “You’re not at fault, Chaeng. You couldn’t have predicted something like that would’ve happened, especially at such a young age. But your fear of the ocean is completely valid, and we can go back right now if you want and never do this again.”

 

“No,” Chaeyoung shakes her head. “No I really think I need to at least try. Besides, I trust you.”

 

She leaves out the part where she doesn’t trust herself, ignores it for the beaming smile on Jungeun’s face.

 

They walk further into the water, and despite how bone-crushing her grip on Jungeun’s hand must be, the other girl never once lets go. The water reaches her waistline and, despite how frigid it is, Chaeyoung feels an unbelievable surge of calm fill her veins. Like her body was  _ meant _ to be in the water, and that the water itself was somehow healing her. It makes her feel giddy, a laugh bubbling from deep inside her and escaping slowly through her lips. 

 

She regrets not doing this sooner, because even though she’s been terrified of the water and what she can do with it, it makes her feel whole.

 

She can see Jungeun smiling beside her, pride beaming from her eyes as they start moving around more freely. The rest of the day goes by like that, Jiwoo and Jinsoul eventually joining in and laughing like idiots as they splash each other with water. Chaeyoung feels more at ease than ever, letting loose and getting in the splash war with the others until they’re all soaked and sunkissed.

 

“Woah, dolphins!” Jungeun shouts later in the evening, pointing out into the ocean where there is a pod of dolphins quite close to the shore where they are. They jump around wildly, and Chaeyoung giggles at the excitement gleaming in her eyes. She sees Jinsoul smirking at Jungeun in the corner of her eye, and Chaeyoung assumes it’s because she’s going to clown her, but the girl says nothing. Only holds onto Jiwoo’s hand while the auburn haired girl giggles at her girlfriend.

 

She marks it as a successful day as they dry off on the beach, racing each other back to the beach house for food and movies.

 

-

 

Between Jiwoo and Jungeun having passed out on the couch during the movie and Jinsoul in her room playing what sounds like The Sims on her computer, Chaeyoung manages to find time to sneak out again.

 

The night air is crisp yet still warm, filled with the salty smell of the ocean and satisfaction of a day well spent. Chaeyoung lets it seep into her lungs, eyes closing as she breathes it in as deeply as she can. The sand makes its way between her toes as she heads towards the shore, determination filling her every step. She plops down in front of the ocean, the water just barely making it to her feet as it crawls up the shore, and she grants herself a moment of solitude in the silence around her.

 

She’s scared this might not work, but it certainly won’t if she doesn’t try.

 

“Uh, dad? Are you out there?”

 

Nothing but silence. Chaeyoung fiddles with the frayed ends of her shorts, tries again.

 

“I’m sorry I haven’t visited a lot, and if you’re too busy I understand, but I just..”

 

Her words trail off slowly, unsure of what it is she actually wants. Doesn’t know if she wants to apologize to his face or just wants to see her dad again. But she doesn’t have to finish, doesn’t have to voice an explanation, because the water further out in front of her bubbles slightly before a head emerges from beneath the surface. 

 

Chaeyoung watches as an older man walks up from beneath the water towards her. His hair is dark and damp, the Hawaiian shirt he’s wearing a blending with a mix of blues, reds, greens, and yellows. His face shows his age, but also shows his kindness, and clutched in his hand is a shimmering trident.

 

“I may be a busy man,” he says, his voice heavy and filled with mirth as he approaches her, “but I’m never too busy for you, kiddo.”

 

“Dad,” Chaeyoung breathes out, a bit in awe that he actually came.

 

“Hey, tiger,” Poseidon smiles, earning a shy smile from the girl on the ground in front of him.

 

Seconds tick by, Chaeyoung merely staring at her father while Poseidon takes a good look at the daughter he has not seen in years, before the girl jumps up from the sand and into her dad’s opening arms. He grunts at the force she barrels into him with before laughing, standing his trident in the sand so that he can fully embrace her.

 

It’s a while before he takes a step back, hands clasped onto her shoulders to admire her. “By the Gods, you’ve gotten so big.”

 

Chaeyoung blushes, both from her father’s affection and from embarrassment. “I’m sorry I haven’t come to see you a lot, it’s just..”

 

Poseidon gives her an understanding look, and Chaeyoung is glad that in this moment he can see right through her nervousness and fears. She doesn’t think she has the heart to tell the same painful story twice in one day. “It’s okay, your mother told me everything. Power is quite terrifying,” Poseidon says softly, “especially when you have no idea that you possess it or just how strong it is.”

 

“I don’t wanna hurt anyone, dad,” Chaeyoung whimpers, can feel the waves behind Poseidon grow slightly in her trepidation. She feels like a little girl again, trying desperately not to cry in her father’s embrace and praying he will protect her. Poseidon shushes her gently, pulling her back into his embrace and running his hand over her blonde hair.

 

“You won’t tiger, I promise. And definitely not while I’m around,” Poseidon promises, and Chaeyoung lets herself believe him, if only for a moment. A small sound escapes her father’s mouth before it’s cut off abruptly, as though he was going to speak but decided not to at the last moment. Chaeyoung lifts her head from against his chest to look at him, confused when she sees his eyes trained on something behind her.

 

“Dad?”

 

“You know, if you’re worried about your powers,” Poseidon speaks, eyes still trained on something she can’t see, “you could always ask your sister.”

 

Chaeyoung’s brows knot in confusion, turning her head as she says, “I don’t have a sis-”

 

The words die in her throat as she finally sees what her father has been looking at, eyes meeting Jinsoul’s as she sits on the porch of the beach house watching the two figures on the shore. Chaeyoung wonders how long she’s been there, wonders if Jinsoul knew, then her thoughts finally catch up and she asks the one question on her mind.

 

“What?”

 

Jinsoul gives her a sheepish smile as she stands, Chaeyoung pulling away from her father’s arms to watch the taller blonde girl walk towards them with her hands stuffed into her back pockets. She looks between the two of them as she approaches the water, eyes meeting Poseidon’s as a shaky breath leaves her lips. “Hey dad.”

 

“Hey, kiddo,” Poseidon smiles at her, opens his arms to give Jinsoul a hug of her own. Chaeyoung feels like her brain is melting.

 

“You- She- And I-” Chaeyoung scrambles to find the right words as she points desperately between them, merely settling on, “ _ What? _ ”

 

Poseidon laughs loud and deep at the bewildered look on Chaeyoung’s face, ruffles her blonde hair a bit with his calloused hands. “I see you two have a lot to talk about.” Chaeyoung watches as her father moves toward the water, hand grasping the staff of his trident as though connecting a missing piece of himself. “I have to deal with my foolish brothers and their petty squabbles, so I’ll leave you to it then.”

 

“Wait, dad!” Chaeyoung calls out, eyes darting around in slight panic. She doesn’t want him to leave yet, hasn’t gotten the time she’s missed with him back yet. But he knows, he always does, and sends her a look that is both empathetic and reassuring.

 

“I told you tiger, I’m always here,” Poseidon smiles, and Chaeyoung can’t do anything but agree with him. Can’t help but return the smile, albeit a bit more forced and unsure, knowing that he means it. That she could call for him at any time and he would be there. “I love you both, very much.”

 

“Love you too, dad,” Jinsoul answers first, smiling slightly and giving him a small wave.

 

“Love you,” Chaeyoung’s voice comes out quiet, hesitant, as she watches her father walk back into the water until he’s claimed by the depths once more.

 

A moment passes, then another, where Chaeyoung just stares at where her father had disappeared. Years without seeing him, of being afraid to come anywhere near the ocean because of what happened, and he’s still the same man she remembers. Kind, strong, caring; everything she hopes she can be in the future. She doesn’t exactly feel any sort of surmounting pride in herself, but meeting him again was a good first step.

 

“So,” comes from beside her, head turning to see Jinsoul looking at her with her shoulders bunched up to her ears, almost like a turtle receding back into its shell. “I was  _ definitely _ wrong.”

 

Chaeyoung’s eyebrows scrunch in confusion, wondering what the hell the other girl meant by that. Jinsoul can obviously read the question written on her face, takes a moment to explain herself. “Jiwoo and I had a bet that you were a demigod like us, but I thought you’d be Apollo’s kid.”

 

“So you did know,” Chaeyoung hums quietly, not exactly sure how to feel about the entire situation at hand. She’s also not sure how to feel about being thought of as a child of Apollo, no offense meant to the sun god, but she shrugs off the assumption.

 

“Not really, Jiwoo just had a hunch,” Jinsoul shrugs.

 

“Wait,” Chaeyoung actually registers that Jinsoul keeps mentioning Jiwoo. “She’s a demigod too?”

 

“Ares,” Jinsoul confirms with a nod. Chaeyoung makes a surprised face, because she would never have been able to guess that sunshine Jiwoo is a child of the God of War himself, but Jinsoul seems to think it’s a look of discernment. “Yes I know demigods dating is kind of weird, but biologically we aren’t technically related since the gods are.. Well, the  _ gods _ , and we were born from humans and-” Jinsoul huffs, looking at Chaeyoung with desperate eyes, “Look our grandmother and grandfather were brother and sister and they fucked okay, I’m pretty sure demigods dating is the least weird thing that’s ever happened in greek mythology.”

 

“I’m not judging, don’t worry,” Chaeyoung can’t help but laugh at Jinsoul’s flustered state, knowing that demigods tend to gravitate to one another because no one else would truly understand what they have to deal with. “Though it would have been nice to know I’ve had a sister this whole time.”

 

“Hey if I knew, I definitely would’ve told you,” Jinsoul points out, and Chaeyoung knows by now that there isn’t a malicious bone in Jinsoul’s body and that she’s telling the truth. “So why was dad staring at me while he talked to you?”

 

Chaeyoung goes quiet for a moment, trying to figure out how to word her issue without retelling the same story that she hates reliving. “I have constantly let my fear of my power control my life because of something I did on accident, and dad said if I was worried I should ask you.”

 

Jinsoul hums in understanding, shifting her feet slightly in the sand as she tries to find the right way to word her response. “I used to be afraid of them too, but I loved the water too much to let my fear keep me away for too long. The more afraid of my power I was, the more unstable it became. Big waves in any water source when I was anxious or upset, the usual wacky shit you can’t explain to your friends.”

 

Chaeyoung stays quiet, Jinsoul having hit the nail right on the head. The only reason Dahyun knew was because she saw Chaeyoung near to the school pool having a panic attack while the pool was rippling with unnatural waves. Dahyun, to her surprise, thought it was the coolest thing ever, and offered to help Chaeyoung work on her fears. Hence the week long trip to the beach after finals.

 

Chaeyoung is still bitter she had to back out, but considering she’s just met the sister she didn’t even know she had because of it, she figures she can let Dahyun off the hook just this once.

 

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking?”   
  


Jinsoul nods her head, the look she gives her tells her that it’s no trouble at all. “My best friend and I got into a fight when we were on vacation in Jeju Island, and of course to a seven-year-old me, that was the  _ worst _ thing imaginable. My anger and sadness were a bit too immeasurable for someone my age, and suddenly alarms to warn of an oncoming tsunami were blaring along the shore and I could feel the giant wave growing as my negative emotions grew.”

 

Chaeyoung whistles lowly, feeling a bit ashamed of being afraid of the minor thing she had done when Jinsoul nearly drowned a whole town. “But it was okay, dad came out of nowhere and helped me calm down, brought the wave down to a smaller size so I only washed the beaches clean rather than completely wipe out the whole town.”

 

“How did you control it?” Chaeyoung asks hesitantly.

 

“Other than dating that human happy pill that always keeps my dopamine levels high?” Jinsoul jokes, earning a small disbelieving laugh from her sister. “I embraced it. Let myself get lost in my powers once, just to see how far they go. Familiarized myself with how I felt when I did, and used that knowledge to keep that feeling in my chest down so that I wouldn’t lose control on accident again.”

 

“So you want me to.. lose control? On purpose?” Chaeyoung asks, fear lacing the edge of her question.

 

Jinsoul shakes her head. “It’s different for everyone, but I think you need to start with not being so afraid of yourself. You’re a daughter of Poseidon after all, you’re going to be pretty damn powerful no matter what you do.” The smile Jinsoul gives her is one of pride, and Chaeyoung feels the waves crawl onto the shore more calmly than they have since the shorter girl called out to their father.

 

“Thanks, Jinsoul.”

 

“Anytime, little sis,” Jinsoul winks, wrapping her arm around Chaeyoung’s shoulder and pulling her back towards the beach house. “Now come on, the faster we fall asleep the faster we can get Jiwoo to cook us pancakes in the morning.”

 

“She’s gonna scream when she finds out we’re sisters.”

 

“Oh absolutely.”

 

-

 

“A party.”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“And you think someone like me,” Chaeyoung gestures to herself incredulously despite Jiwoo not looking at her, “introverted and could barely even speak to Jungeun, would want to go?”

 

“You seem like a closet freak for booze, music, and good company,” Jiwoo shrugs from the kitchen where she’s making pancakes. “I mean, we  _ did _ meet you at a beach party.”

 

Chaeyoung hums, because Jiwoo isn’t entirely wrong. She does love good music and good company, and she did meet them at that tiki bar on the beach. However, her hesitance still persists. “It’s not gonna be like those college beach parties in the movies is it?”

 

“Not.. exactly?” Jiwoo questions herself more than she answers Chaeyoung, a fine way to reassure the blonde haired girl. “The house is nice, and there will definitely be a girl or two dancing on a table, but it won’t be so packed that you feel like you’re stuck.”

 

“Hmm I don’t know Jiwoo,” Chaeyoung whines, stabbing her pancakes with her fork as though they were the physical manifestation of her worries.

 

“For once, I actually have to agree with Jiwoo. Our friends don’t like to throw ragers,” Chaeyoung hears Jungeun’s voice come from the hallway as she enters the living area, trying to compose herself when she sees how pretty the other girl looks with a bare face fresh out of the shower. It’s truly unfair, in her opinion. “It’s a relatively lowkey party, maybe twenty to thirty people.”

 

Chaeyoung stays silent, chewing her pancakes slowly as she thinks through her options. She could not go to the party and sit in her hotel room, and maybe call Dahyun and interrogate her over how she’s sleeping with a demigod. Or, on the other hand, she could go to the party, make new friends despite how scary it might be, and Jungeun would be there probably looking way too pretty for Chaeyoung’s heart to handle.

 

“You know you don’t have to go, we would never make you go if you don’t want to,” Jungeun reassures her with a hand gently massaging her shoulder for comfort. Chaeyoung appreciates the gesture more than she would ever admit to anyone.

 

“No I.. I want to go,” Chaeyoung locks in her fate with a confident nod to the brunette beside her, ignoring how her smile makes her stomach flip. “I wanna hang out with you- I mean you  _ guys _ , and meet your friends and have some fun. Much better than sitting in my hotel room alone, I’d say.”

 

Jungeun blushes slightly when she plops down into the seat across the table from Chaeyoung, sending the blonde across from her a smile that’s all cheeks. “Good, because I was really hoping you would say yes.”

 

“Say yes to what?” Jinsoul comes out of her room, taking the seat beside Chaeyoung at the table and looking to the shorter blonde curiously. “You coming to the party with us, sis?”

 

A loud clang comes from the kitchen, all eyes whipping to see Jiwoo staring at Jinsoul and Chaeyoung as the thankfully plastic plate she had dropped bounces on the ground. Chaeyoung silently grieves for the pancake that sits sadly on the cold tile floor. “Did you just say ‘sis’?!”

 

“I knew I forgot to tell her something,” Jinsoul groans. Chaeyoung can’t help but laugh loudly, tears of mirth prickling at the corners of her eyes at the absurdity of the situation. Jiwoo begins yelling at Jinsoul about how she won the bet and Jungeun is looking between the two of them in absolute perplexity, but she can’t even bring herself to stop laughing to answer. 

 

“She’s your  _ sister?! _ ” Jungeun finally manages to ask.

 

“Half!” Jinsoul yellls exasperatedly. “ _ Half _ sister!”

 

Her life is just so weird, but she’s glad that the people she has in her life are apart of it. Between the people she’s always had and these people she’s just recently met, she couldn’t wish for it any other way.

 

“ _ What? _ ”

 

-

 

Jungeun offers to get them drinks as they enter the party, Chaeyoung nodding hesitantly as the brunette walks away towards the kitchen, Jinsoul and Jiwoo explain to her as quickly as they can that a solid half of the people in this house were demigods, and that they would like their secrecy to remain just as they do their own. The girl dancing on the table is a daughter of Hermes, the boy brooding in the back corner is a son of Morpheus, and so on and so forth.

 

“There’s a lot of us everywhere, so I promise you won’t ever feel alone,” Jiwoo reassures Chaeyoung, and it brings her a strange sense of comfort because she’s never known that many demigods throughout her life, so it’s nice to see that others can live their lives normally despite the absurdity of their existence.

 

Jungeun comes back with a drink and a smile, and thus begins a long night.

 

-

 

The party is nice for the most part.

 

As promised, there were barely twenty five people at the party, but they all had enough energy levels to make it feel like a full house. The Hermes daughter, Eunseo, was incredibly nice despite her intoxication levels, and introduced Chaeyoung to her whole group of friends and the owner of the house Sorn, a daughter of Hecate. As it turns out, Sorn has a natural knack for finding demigods thanks to her mother, so she pinpoints Chaeyoung the moment she approaches them.

 

“Hey! Uncle P’s kid!” She shouts, not using Poseidon’s name to avoid drawing any attention from the mortals around them. Chaeyoung appreciates the discretion. “Jinsoul didn’t tell me she had a sister!”

 

“ _ Half! _ ” They hear someone, undoubtedly Jinsoul, yell from further inside the house, causing a chorus of laughter amongst the crowd in the kitchen.

 

“Yeah we uh, we kind of found out last night,” Chaeyoung laughs with a nervous rub to the back of her neck. Sorn assures her that she doesn’t have to be nervous here, that she’s safe and no one would let anything happen to her whether it be losing control of her powers or getting too drunk to make rational decisions. Chaeyoung laughs, tells them she’ll just stick to nursing her one drink instead of getting hammered.

 

Chaeyoung dances, drinks one more drink than intended because  _ damn _ that Dionysus kid makes some  _ good _ drinks, and allows herself to let loose for once. Everyone is nothing but kind to her, and the laid back vibe of the music allows her to get lost in the moment.

 

And yet, despite the party being one of the most enjoyable ones Chaeyoung has ever been to, she ends up outside with her shoes in her hand, walking along the beach beside Jungeun.

 

“Did you know that there’s more historic artifacts sunken in the sea than there are in all of the world’s museums?” Jungeun asks excitedly, spouting out as many ocean facts that Chaeyoung is willing to listen to.

 

Jokes on Jungeun though, Chaeyoung would listen to them all if she’s the one telling them to her.

 

“I did not,” Chaeyoung smiles, can’t take her eyes off the way Jungeun positively glimmers with excitement about being able to talk about the ocean and all she knows about it. She flashes Chaeyoung this absolutely dorky smile, and she swears she can feel her heart flutter in her chest at how adorable she looks.

 

The smile recedes, still there but more hesitant now. “Sorry I’m probably rambling-”

 

“No apologizing, I love hearing your ocean facts.” And it’s the truth, Chaeyoung does love hearing the random tidbits of information Jungeun has stored in her brain. She would never tell Jinsoul or Jiwoo, but it’s much better than being at that party, because it feels like it’s just the two of them in the whole world when they’re together on the beach.

 

It’s amazing how far she’s come since their first meeting, being able to be playful with Jungeun and not make a stuttering fool out of herself. Even the ocean waves are still calm despite how hard her heart beats being so close to Jungeun. And damn does she look beautiful in the glimmering gold of the sunset and her makeup done so perfectly for the party.

 

“Sit with me?” Jungeun asks, and Chaeyoung can only nod as she sinks down onto the sand.

 

They sit side by side for a few minutes in comfortable silence, enjoying the sound of the waves and the music muted by the house walls. Chaeyoung can’t help but think about how perfect it is that she’s found someone she can be comfortable with without having to feel like she needs to talk to them or entertain them constantly. It’s quiet, it’s nice.

 

Even nicer when Jungeun’s head falls gently to her shoulder.

 

“Thanks for listening to me when I start going on and on about the ocean,” Jungeun says quietly, eyes still trained on the watery horizon as she does. There’s a brief pause, like she’s trying to gather her thoughts before speaking again. “It’s weird, I feel like even though I don’t live near the sea, I feel like it’s always just been apart of my life. As though it’s always there with me.”

 

Chaeyoung holds back her giggle at Jungeun’s words, thinks of how she is a daughter of the ocean and the irony of it all. The girl who loves the ocean and the girl born from the ocean. The thought alone gives her a sense of courage she didn’t know she possessed, words falling from her lips before she can stop them.

 

“Can I admit something?” Chaeyoung speaks quietly. Jungeun lifts her head from her shoulder to give her full attention to the girl beside her, nodding once as a sign to continue. “Despite how anxious I was about being alone, I’m really glad that I ended up coming here.”

 

Jungeun gives her a soft smile, the kindness gleaming in her eyes amplified by the warm glow of the sunset. Chaeyoung subconsciously makes herself aware of how close they are, if the fact that she has to look down at Jungeun’s smile says anything, and feels her heart rate skyrocket at their sudden proximity.

 

“Yeah, I’m really glad you did too.”

 

It’s not clear who leans in first, but it doesn’t really matter once Chaeyoung feels soft lips pressed gently against her own. It’s exhilarating and calming all at once, like a thunderstorm just outside an open window. Her head tilts and it’s like submerging into the depths when Jungeun deepens their kiss, the pace slow yet it still sends the blonde reeling.

 

A sudden wave crashes over them just as Chaeyoung’s tongue brushes Jungeun’s, and Chaeyoung has never been more irritated at the lack of control she has over her powers since she was younger. 

 

Jungeun, however, can’t stop laughing despite how soaked her clothes are. It’s infectious, and Chaeyoung finds herself laughing into another kiss, and then another, until they all bleed into one another and Chaeyoung cannot find it within herself to ever want to stop this.

 

(They can’t see how Jinsoul has to physically drag Jiwoo back into the house behind them, so that her excited screams from witnessing their first kiss wouldn’t startle or embarrass them.)

 

“Can I admit something, too?” Jungeun asks, forehead pressed to Chaeyoung’s as she gnaws playfully on her bottom lip. Chaeyoung can’t help the grin on her face as she nods, ignoring how her heart pounds against her ribcage when she feels Jungeun’s breath hit her lips. “I’ve kinda wanted to do that since we met.”

 

“You and me both,” Chaeyoung teases despite how much she means her words, and the two fall into one another in a fit of giggles. Her clothes are soaked and sand is no doubt finding its way into places that sand shouldn’t be, but Chaeyoung is undeniably happy, and she bathes in the feeling as she presses her lips to Jungeun’s once more.

 

-

 

“If you don’t text me when you get home, I swear to  _ every _ deity I know that I will hunt you down,” Jungeun threatens Chaeyoung with a finger pointed against her chest. The blonde merely laughs at her poor excuse of a threat (Jinsoul once told Jungeun that she’s the threatening equivalent of a sloth and she herself is inclined to agree) and tells her that of course she will. They had just reached the train station where the four of them will have to part ways, and Jungeun is almost anxious of what will happen once they do.

 

“ _ And _ I promise to visit often since we’re apparently only 40 minutes apart from one another,” Chaeyoung adds in for good measure as though reading her nervous thoughts, pressing a gentle kiss to Jungeun’s cheek. Jungeun can’t help how her cheeks burn at the affectionate gesture.

 

“Ew, so gross,” Jinsoul pretends to gag, and Jungeun does not hesitate to flip her off without thought. Jinsoul laughs loudly, and the brunette sends her an irritated glare for good measure.

 

“I’ve had to deal with you and Jiwoo for years,  _ please _ let me have this.”

 

Jinsoul rolls her eyes but the smile on her lips betrays her true feelings. Jungeun merely scoffs with a grin of her own plastered on her lips, turning back to Chaeyoung and leaning in. Soft lips meet once again, with the same gentle thrill of their first kiss that leaves Jungeun breathless. “Be safe.”

 

“I promise,” Chaeyoung nods with a dimpled smile, making sure to hug Jiwoo and Jinsoul as well before the vending machine calls loud enough to their hungry hearts. Jungeun watches her go, and despite how disgustingly cheesy she thinks it is, she begins to count the seconds until they can meet each other again.

 

-

 

Dahyun sends Chaeyoung a texts as the train takes her home.

 

**dubu: So? How did it go? Did you get what you needed from your dad?**

 

Chaeyoung can’t help the grin that spreads across her face as she replies.

 

**chaeng: not exactly, but i think i found something much better**

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on twitter @ tigermochaeyu and tell me how you liked it!


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